From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, August 16, 2025, for the conduct of 16 constituency bye-elections across 12 states of the federation.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced the development on Thursday in Abuja during the second regular consultative meeting with leaders of political parties.
He also disclosed that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise would resume nationwide on August 18.
Yakubu revealed that the bye-elections would involve a total of 3,553,659 registered voters across 32 local government areas, 356 wards, and 6,987 polling units, with 30,451 officials expected to be deployed.
He explained that in the last two years since the inauguration of the National and State Assemblies in June 2023, vacancies requiring bye-elections have occurred nationwide.
He recalled that in February last year, the commission conducted nine bye-elections to fill vacancies arising from death or resignation of members of the National and State Houses of Assembly, and that since then, more vacancies have been declared across the country.
The outstanding bye-elections include two Senatorial Districts—Anambra South and Edo Central—as well as five Federal Constituencies: Ovia South West/Ovia South East in Edo State, Babura/Garki in Jigawa State, Chikun/Kajuru in Kaduna State, Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North in Ogun State, and Ibadan North in Oyo State. In addition, nine State Constituencies will also go to the polls.
These are Ganye in Adamawa State, Onitsha North I in Anambra State, Dekina/Okura in Kogi State, Zaria Kewaye and Basawa in Kaduna State, Bagwai/Shanono in Kano State, Mariga in Niger State, Karim Lamido I in Taraba State, and Kauran Namoda South in Zamfara State.
Yakubu, however, noted that bye-elections will not hold in Khana II State Constituency in Rivers State due to a state of emergency, and in Talata Mafara South State Constituency in Zamfara State because of a legal dispute surrounding the declaration of the seat as vacant.
INEC also announced that two previously disrupted court-ordered re-run elections—in Enugu South I State Constituency of Enugu State and Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency in Kano State—will now hold alongside the bye-elections on August 16, following assurances of adequate security.
On the timetable for party primaries and campaigns, Yakubu said party primaries will be held between July 17 and 21, 2025, while the online portal for submitting nomination forms will open at 9:00 a.m. on July 22 and close at 6:00 p.m. on July 26, 2025.
Campaigns in public are expected to commence on August 2 and end at midnight on August 14, 2025.
The INEC Chairman also addressed concerns raised by opposition parties, noting their frequent complaints that incumbents deny them access to public facilities and state-owned media.
He assured that the commission will henceforth work with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to initiate legal actions against violators.
Regarding voter registration, Yakubu said the CVR in Anambra State, ahead of the forthcoming governorship election, will run from July 8 to July 17, 2025, across all 326 wards in the state. The exercise will be held daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., including weekends.
During this period, eligible voters in Anambra can register afresh, transfer their registration from other states or different locations within the state, apply for replacement of lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and collect unclaimed PVCs from previous exercises.
He clarified that the online pre-registration portal will not be available during the Anambra-specific registration.
For the nationwide CVR, Yakubu said the commission has approved the resumption of both online and in-person voter registration in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The online pre-registration will commence on August 18, 2025, while the in-person registration will begin on August 25, 2025, and will take place at INEC’s state offices and all 774 local government area offices across the country.
He encouraged all eligible Nigerian citizens to take advantage of the registration exercise, reminding them that the compilation of the voters’ register must be completed at least 90 days before any scheduled election, as stipulated by law.
